Our History

1967 - First National Conference

8 Southeastern States Participate

Our host states include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

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Building Leaders for tomorrow

We are training and developing professionals in the field of Deafness, Deaf-blindness, or hearing loss in general.

In November of 1967, a national conference was held in Las Cruces, New Mexico involving representatives from state special education agencies, vocational rehabilitation agencies and state associations of the deaf. The focus of that conference was on building cooperative relationships among special educators, rehabilitation specialists and deaf consumer groups to improve service delivery to people with “hearing impairments”.

More than 200 professionals from throughout the United States attended this national conference. The enthusiasm generated among the participants was so great that the speaker who presented the conference summary encouraged the establishment of regional and state conferences. In 1971 Alabama initiated the first Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Region IV Conference including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In 1972 the University of Tennessee (through an RSA short term training grant) hosted the second conference in Knoxville. The 1973 conference was held in St. Augustine, Florida.

In the mid 1970’s, the University of Tennessee Region IV Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program (RRCEP) provided some financial support for the conference and as a result the focus of the conference turned toward training for professionals. Through RRCEP, the conference became a regional training “Institute.” Nationally known experts in the field of deafness conducted workshops and seminars to provide additional training to educators and rehabilitation specialists who serve persons with “hearing impairments”.

The official corporation is named the Southeast Regional Institute on Deafness, Inc. The purpose of the corporation shall be to hold an annual conference by State Coordinators for the Deaf in the Southeastern United States (“the Institute”), for health professionals, employers, consumers, educators, and other persons interested in issues affecting individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and/or late-deafened; and to further knowledge concerning these issues through publications, studies, and educational programs.

Where We've Been

These Institutes on Deafness have continued because of the efforts of dedicated professionals and consumers within each of eight southeastern states.

Who's Involved

In essence, SERID is seen as a way to energize professionals in the field of “hearing loss”: to provide information to consumers; and to bring innovations to the attention of all that participate.

In 2000, Georgia Department of Rehabilitation Services spearheaded and financed the move to incorporate SERID and establish it with an IRS – 501 c (3) status. This move will protect the conference planners from personal liability and will allow SERID to solicit funds from other entities, which had not been possible in the past.

State Departments of Education

State Residential School(s) for the Deaf

Mental Health Agencies

Local Education Agencies

Postsecondary Education Programs

State Rehabilitation Agencies

State Rehabilitation Agencies for the Blind

Community Rehabilitation Programs

Independent Living Centers

Speech and Hearing Centers

State Agencies & Associations for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Interpreter’s Organizations

State Councils/Commissions on Deafness

Community Interpreter Referral Centers

About SERID

The purpose of SERID Inc. shall be to hold an annual conference. State Coordinators for the Deaf in the Southeastern United States are responsible for the coordination of the conferences. The target audience includes health professionals, employers, consumers, educators, and other persons interested in issues affecting individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and/or late-deafened; and to further knowledge concerning these issues through publications, studies, and educational programs.